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🎥 WATCH: Why Aikido Is Hard to Explain

by Lia Suzuki
Mar 31, 2026
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Some people ask me to explain Aikido.

But the truth is… Aikido doesn’t always translate well into words.

And that’s not a flaw.

In this week’s training reflection, I talk about why sensation often teaches faster than explanation — and why repeating movement in the dojo can reveal things that analysis never will.

If you’ve ever had a moment where a technique suddenly clicked without anyone explaining it…

this video is for you.

🎥 Watch here:
https://youtu.be/G4e_6hFwyO8


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🎥 WATCH: The Real Way Aikido Is Learned: Feeling Before Thinking

2 person attack (Ni-nin gake)

 

🌿 Your Practice Prompt

In your next class, notice how quickly you begin analyzing technique in your mind.

Instead of stopping to explain or think through every movement, try repeating the technique several times while staying attentive to sensation — balance, pressure, connection, and timing.

See if understanding emerges through movement rather than through explanation.

Share your experience—I read every reply.

- -

Lia Suzuki
Author
   • The Teacher
   • Mastering The Shoto
Director: Aikido Kenkyukai International USA

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🗓 Upcoming Seminars


2026


  • May 28-31
    Aikido Kenkyukai Los Angeles
    Senseis Hiroshi Ikeda, Lia Suzuki, and Bruno Gonzalez
    Los Angeles, California, USA
  • June 13-14
    Aikido Wexford
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Wexford, Ireland
  • June 20-21
    Marple Aikido
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Marple, Stockport, Cheshire, UK

 

⭐ 30TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE

This year’s Summer Camp marks 30 years of Aikido Kenkyukai International USA.
Click to join the notification list and be first to receive registration details.

  • July 15-19
    AKI USA Annual Summer Camp & 30th Anniversary Celebration
    Lia Suzuki Sensei and others
    Los Angeles, California, USA
  • August 29-30
    Shanghai Xijiao Aikido Dojo 15th Anniversary Celebration
    Lia Suzuki Sensei & Others
    Shanghai, China
  • September 14-15
    PSV Heidelberg Aikido Sansuikai Dojo 
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Heidelberg, Germany
  • September 16-20
    Bewegung & Lebenskunst Bonn
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    - - September 16-17: Yudansha Seminar
    - - September 18-20: Mixed Levels Seminar
    Bonn, Germany
  • September TBD
    Aikido Shinboku e.V. 
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Düsseldorf, Germany
  • September 25-27
    Aiki Dojo Sehnde 
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Sehnde, Germany
  • October 2-4
    Mountain West Aikido - Livingston
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Livingston, CO, USA
  • October 9-12
    Redlands Aikikai
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Redlands, CA, USA

2027


  • September
    Ima Juku Aikido
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Baarn, Netherlands
  • More Seminars added soon...

Click here for details on all my seminars.


 

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🎥 WATCH: What Makes Aikido Feel Soft Without Being Weak
Softness in Aikido is often misunderstood. From the outside, it can look effortless — even gentle. But anyone who has trained for a while knows that the softness you see in experienced practitioners isn’t weakness at all. It’s responsiveness. In this week’s video, I talk about what actually makes Aikido feel soft and why that softness only works when it’s supported by structure, alignment, and ...
🎥 WATCH: Why Force Feels Effective in Aikido — Until It Doesn’t
Sometimes the strongest students face the biggest challenge in Aikido. If you're stronger than your partner, techniques may seem to work immediately. Your partner falls, everything appears successful, and it can feel like you're progressing quickly. But that early success can be misleading. In this week’s video, I talk about why relying on strength can eventually stall your development—and why ...
🎥 WATCH: How Aikido Training Evolves Over Time
When you first start Aikido, your focus is simple: Just get through class without getting hurt. You’re trying to remember the movements, figure out which foot goes where, and survive your first attempts at ukemi. But over time, something interesting happens. Your training begins to shift — from survival…to refinement…to sensitivity, timing, and efficiency. In this week’s video, I talk about how...

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